Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 425 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

1. 1.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.” (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.” (a) telling (b) showing
3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Arjun was angry.
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) showing (b) telling
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Nisha was really happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.” (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) telling (b) showing
10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Vihaan was cold.
11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is angry? (a) Aisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Aisha was angry.
13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) tired (b) hungry (c) bored
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Pooja was sad. (c) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.” (a) cold (b) hungry (c) scared
19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima was cold. (b) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is happy? (a) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Imran was happy.
23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph was sad. (b) Joseph’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Meera was happy.
26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.” (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) showing (b) telling
28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is happy? (a) Yash was happy. (b) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) telling (b) showing
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.” (a) cold (b) angry (c) tired
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.” (a) telling (b) showing
35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was scared.” (a) telling (b) showing
36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was sad.” (a) telling (b) showing
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) showing (b) telling
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.” (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is cold? (a) Priya was cold. (b) Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.

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